13 Natural Hairstyles from Afropunk Johannesburg to Try Now

"I think a crown has always represented the queendom of Black women."

In South Africa, embracing natural hair is not just a movement, it's a lifestyle. This lifestyle reveals the truest and most authentic version of a person, and for some, it provides a sense of pride and unity. During the second annual Afropunk Joburg festival in Johannesburg, South Africa, at the historic Constitution Hill, Black women came out in droves to celebrate and showcase their one-of-a-kind style.

Intricately-braided hairstyles indigenous to the continent flowed down the backs of festival goers in colorful shades of purple and blue, and hair woven crowns towered over the crowd. Mini afros, shaved heads, and Bantu knots also made an appearance along with traditional tribal white eye dots and an impressive range of rainbow color lip palettes. No matter how bold or subtle each woman's look was, the beauty of this all-encompassing natural lifestyle illuminated the festival grounds. Local Johannesburg-based photographer Andile Buka was on the scene to capture all of the beautiful #BlackGirlMagic on display.

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Amonge Sinxoto

"I think a crown has always represented the queendom of Black women. Obviously, I don't walk around with a crown every day but I think on the days that I do, it's like this is what we as a people represent — royalty."

"I'm a big believer in Afrocentric looks. I feel like, in a cosmopolitan context, that's what I've been born into and that's what I'm adapting to. So, my look is definitely inspired by Afro-futurism. It's taking what Africa is now and looking at it from a futuristic sci-fi perspective."

"My look was inspired by African Identity in a time of Afro-modernism. I went for minimal make-up because it speaks to my short hairdo. I identified discernible features of various styles and traditional aesthetics. This I did by adding the kufi hat and earrings with African motifs."

"I love everything about rocking my natural hair. I'm free, I feel like I haven't succumbed to society's expectation of what a black woman should look like. I honestly feel a lot of women should embrace their natural hair."

Andile Buka

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Kagiso Maleka

"I feel like natural hair embodies a black woman. As much as I want to try to press it down or straighten it or whatever, it can't be suppressed, it just comes back up again. That's what a Black woman does. I think it epitomizes Black womanhood."